Bridge Reference at Manor Court - Presentations to Brig Peto and Lord Audley

Thoughts at Saturday’s Manor Court ceremony were very much focussed on Bideford’s 700 year old bridge which, in February last, was one of the three bridges in the country to be excluded from the provisions of the Trunk Roads Bill.
The Lord Lieutenant (Earl Fortescue) and civic visitors from Exeter, Barnstaple and Torrington were among those present.
On the table in front of the members of the Town Council, sitting as Lords of the Manor was Ald F E Whiting’s handsome model of the Bridge. While the Manor Court Jury were in another room considering their presentments, Ald Whiting gave a very interesting talk on the history of the bridge.
At the conclusion of the Court ceremony a presentation was made by Mr A K Chope on behalf of Bideford Bridge Trustees, of a pair of candlesticks fashioned from oak of the original 13th century bridge, to Brig C H M Peto, MP for the North West Devon Division. A similar presentation is being forwarded to Lord Audley.
The full Gazette article is dated 30 April 1946